Playing with butterflies

Potawatomi Zoo opens interactive exhibit.

Potawatomi Zoo opens interactive exhibit.

May 28, 2008|JIM MEENAN Tribune Staff Writer

Terry DeRosa, director of the Potawatomi Zoo, liked what he saw when he came upon a mostly unused greenhouse on the property during his first year. After seeing the spacious area, he hatched an idea. "I thought that butterflies would be the perfect thing that would really be able to utilize this facility," he said. So last Saturday the "Butterflies in Living Color Exhibit" opened with the aid of the Potawatomi Zoological Society, which helped fund it. "The society just looks at the zoo's overall picture," explained Marcy Dean, director of the society. "And when Terry came on board and suggested doing the butterfly garden, we just thought, what a wonderful way to educate people on butterfly conservation." The area, about the size of an enclosed two-car garage, features plenty of humidity, flowers, plant life and, of course, butterflies. Spraying mists from time to time will give it the actual feel of a rain forest. "One of the things that we are trying to do is tell a story about conservation and the butterflies we get are from butterfly farmers that live in Costa Rica and other areas of the rain forest," DeRosa said. By the zoo purchasing the butterflies, it gives butterfly farmers sustainable income, he said. "So that way they don't have to slash and burn the plantations to create bananas and sell those on the market." In short, it preserves rain forests, while allowing those who own the land to make a profit so they can send their children to school, he said. The farmers sell the butterfly pupa to different zoos in the United States, including Potawatomi, for $2 to $3 each. "We have anywhere from 10 to 15 different varieties and we get about 200 butterflies every week and they change constantly depending on what's available," DeRosa said. Visitors will enjoy the striking colors and patterns and even the size of the creatures as they soar from plant to plant or person to person. Twenty to 25 a day will come from the emergent box, DeRosa said, of the enclosed area that people can view as the butterflies come out of their cocoon. "They come out in there and dry off their wings," DeRosa said. And staff members then bring them out and release them into the garden. DeRosa believes visitors will enjoy the exhibit, which costs an additional $2 besides the normal fee to enter the zoo. Children 2-and-under are free. "It's a lot of fun," DeRosa said. "We also have the sprinklers and the misters that are going on so when those are on it's like walking through a soggy, misty rain forest. "And that cools the butterflies down and the people who are walking through down a little bit. It really adds to the atmosphere of being in the rain forest environment." Dean loves the fact that the facility is interactive. "We have wonderful exhibits but nothing that is full immersion like this where you get to be inside with butterflies," Dean said. "It's very interactive. "Children can go right up and they see them right on the plants."Staff writer Jim Meenan: jmeenan@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6342